Alec Baldwin on SNL: Zynga's Words With Friends is 'for smart people'

Alec Baldwin, award-winning actor and TV star of NBC's currently-running "30 Rock", is milking his fight with American Airlines over Zynga's Word With Friends for all the publicity he can get. Which is strange, because he certainly doesn't need it. But after deleting his Twitter account, Baldwin made a surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update, and sat for an interview with Seth Meyers to talk about what happened. Except, he didn't show up as Alec Baldwin, but as "Captain Steve Rogers" (which superhero comics geeks would recognize as the alias of Captain America). This, of course, is Baldwin's impersonation of the real AA pilot of the plane he was on, Captain Steve Roach.

In under three minutes, Baldwin mocked American Airlines' decision to boot him off the plane, bashed the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) policy of forbidding the use of wireless devices on planes, engaged in comical and completely unsubtle ego-stroking, and managed to self-style himself as the unofficial spokesman of Zynga's premier word game. You can watch the whole thing above or on the SNL website, but here's a sample transcript:

BALDWIN: "Yes. Mr. Baldwin is an American treasure, and I am ashamed at the way he was treated. I mean, what harm would it do to let him keep playing his game -- not any game mind you -- but a word game for smart people."

. . .

MEYERS: "It was also reported that Alec Baldwin slammed the bathroom door so loudly that you could hear it in the cockpit."

BALDWIN: "Now, Seth, Words with Friends can be frustrating. And again, I just started to play the game myself. But when you think you're about to play JAILERS off of someone's QUICHE and then you realize you don't have the 'I', let me tell you, that would make you slam the bathroom door too!"

Obviously, Baldwin's outburst has attracted plenty of media attention and Zynga's support. Though judging by the actor's actual, serious apology in The Huffington Post, Baldwin hasn't so much been aiming to free advertise for Zynga as crusading against what he believes to be the dwindling quality of service offered by US airlines. Of course, free publicity never hurts, and remember, BROUHAHA alone is worth 16 points in Words With Friends.

Has Alec Baldwin gone too far, or is he on to something here? Have you started playing Words With Friends because of what happened? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment